I've often said that in my Midwest woods, there is only one critter I fear and that is a skunk. Thank goodness that most will give you ample warning about what they will do. I'd hate to see the mess that your Great Adventure left. My neghbor had a compost pile or at least, that is what he called it. It was actually a dump at the end of his garden. It drew in the skunks and he decided to trap them. More than once, on a warm summer night, you could tell that one got trapped. ....

Be Safe !!!

__________________
'Fundamental truths' are easy to recognize because they are verified daily through simple observation and thus, require no testing.

__________________
To kill something as great as a duck just to smell the gunpowder is a crime against nature. - Alan Liere
Democracy is a device that ensures we shall be governed no better than we deserve. - George Bernard Shaw

When I was a kid my grandfather came and borrowed a boom box and some of our music, I didnt know why, he allways hated our music (80's hair metal), turns out there was a skunk in his lumber yard hiding in a shed where they kept insulation. He turned on the radio really loud, put it in there, the next morning the skunk was no where to be seen. He said the idea came to him when us grandchildren were over and he had to retreat to his shop to get away from all the racket.

Now, I've been told and don't really want to prove it but a skunk cannot discharge without first lifting it's tail. Again, that if you lift a skunk by the tail, you should not have a problem. I think trappers could have the last word on this. .....

If you could have put the pipe into a bag and discharged auto exhaust fumes into it, it would have killed the skunk. ....

Be Safe !!!

__________________
'Fundamental truths' are easy to recognize because they are verified daily through simple observation and thus, require no testing.

A couple of years ago I caught a skunk in a live trap. I didn’t want to shoot him in it because of the mess it would make and/or possibly damage the trap. I knew that if I could get the trap turned on it’s side and free the door it would open and Mr. Skunk could be on his way.

Of course all this had to be done at a distance for obvious reasons. I took a casting rod and tied a large sinker on the line, After several casts, at a distance, I was able to hook the trap enough to pull it over on it’s side. But, there was a problem, how to get the door open. Presently I located a cane pole about 15 feet long and fashioned a hook, made from a piece of wire, to the end of it.

So far the skunk had taken the trap overturning well and was just going with the flow, like he knew what I was trying. I managed to get the door hooked with the cane pole and pulled the door open. Out Mr. Skunk ran, headed for parts unknown. I was satisfied. During the encounter I got a whiff of skunk now and then, but no more than if one had passed nearby.

When I entered the house it was a different story. I quickly noticed, and so did my wife, that distinctive smell, and it was coming from me. I was forced back outside to strip.

The skunk had never become agitated or sprayed during this whole episode, in fact he had taken it rather well. I guess that he knew something that I didn’t. That if you get too close to a skunk, in this case about 15 feet, even without a spray job, they can stink you up. I’ll bet he laughed all the way home......

__________________Those who beat their guns into plows, will plow for those who don't.-Thomas Jefferson

A few years back, we rented a resort cabin up by BlackDuck Minn. Most every evening, I walked the gravel road. One evening, the resort owner's dog, decided to tag along and I was fine with that. After about 10 minutes walk, I spotted a skunk on the road and kept my distance. The dog spotted it as well and took very little interest. I didn't think there would be a problem as I was sure by now, that the dog was skunk smart. Wrong ...

The Skunk went into the ditch and the dog went in as well trying to figure out where it went. Thar she blew and the dog lunged out of the ditch. Now the dog wants to get back to walking with me and I'm trying to keep him away. Finally cut my walk short but did not tell the owner what had happened. Didn't have to as he had no trouble figuring it out. .....

Be Safe !!!

__________________
'Fundamental truths' are easy to recognize because they are verified daily through simple observation and thus, require no testing.

My lesson in skunk spray is that when the sun shines from behind you, you see the spray in beautiful tecnicolor. So if you see a rainbow appear around you, you're skunked.

Another lesson I learned is don't try shooting a skunk at night with a spotlight unless you know the range. Actually, I suppose the advice should be don't go see if you hit him unless you are sure you did.

When I had to deal with skunk scent and tried tomato juice, all I did was ruin a lot of tomato juice. A phone call to a biochemist friend working with mercaptans, the odor element in skunk scent, led me to use bleach at the lowest dilution I could tolerate. The skunk juice was immediately descented by the chlorine.

Now, I've been told and don't really want to prove it but a skunk cannot discharge without first lifting it's tail. Again, that if you lift a skunk by the tail, you should not have a problem. I think trappers could have the last word on this. .....

Actually they have to be able to push their back legs against something. When I was younger I used to catch skunks by running by them from the side and grabbing thier tails. You had to lift them off the ground before they could brace with their back legs to spray. If your shooting them make sure its either a head shot or a lung shot. They are like old people they cant fart unless they take a big breath, brace their feet, and push really hard.

I don't even have to use my imagination on this one. See, I've become somewhat of an expert at killing skunks over the last few years. The henhouse seems to draw them like evil flies, and they have to be dealt with.

I suppose I've killed some 50 skunks (conservative estimate) over the last 3 or so years. A havahart trap and a dunk tank are the cleanest tools to use, but I've used a firearm many times, too.

A shotgun blows them into "skunk chunks", and a .22 lets them spray almost invariably...or at least leak. It's a messy job, but I've found few volunteers willing to help.

This email link is to reach site administrators for assistance, if you cannot access TFL via other means. If you are a TFL member and can access TFL, please do not use this link; instead, use the forums (like Questions, Suggestions, and Tech Support) or PM an appropriate mod or admin.

If you are experiencing difficulties posting in the Buy/Sell/Trade subforums of TFL, please read the "sticky" announcement threads at the top of the applicable subforum. If you still feel you are qualified to post in those subforums, please contact "Shane Tuttle" (the mod for that portion of TFL) via Private Message for assistance.

This email contact address is not an "Ask the Firearms Expert" service. Such emails will be ignored. If you have a firearm related question, please register and post it on the forums.